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Nuno Gomes

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Nuno Gomes
Personal information
Full name Nuno Miguel Soares Pereira Ribeiro
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team Benfica
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of November 15, 2006

Nuno Gomes (IPA pron. ) was born Nuno Miguel Soares Pereira Ribeiro, OIH on July 5, 1976 in Amarante. He is a striker who plays for the Portugal national football team and currently plays for Benfica. He uses the name Gomes after his childhood hero Fernando Gomes, a clinical striker at Nuno's boyhood team, Futebol Clube do Porto. A striker who works tirelessly for his team-mates, Nuno Gomes's star shone bright at UEFA Euro 2000. Nuno Gomes will also partake in the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifiers, proving himself crucial after Pauleta retired. He scored against Finland in Portugal's first qualifier. Nuno Gomes was also on the cover of FIFA 2003 in Portugal.

The National team

Having represented Portugal at every level from Under-15 upwards, he has scored many goals for Portugal Youth team , he made his full international debut aged 19 in a 1996 friendly against France. He scored for his country at that summer's Atlanta Olympics but had to wait four years for his first senior international goal. The timing couldn't have been better: in Portugal's opening match at EURO 2000™ he marked his fourth start with the winner as Portugal came from two goals down to beat England in a 3-2 victory . He scored four goals overall as Portugal reached the last four but earned a seven-month international ban after pushing referee Gunter Benko following the semi-final defeat by France. He struggled to hold down a starting place and appeared twice as a substitute during the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Things went better for him in EURO 2004 when, after coming on as a half time substitute, he scored the winning goal against rivals Spain to send Portugal through to the second round. He was also called up for the FIFA World cup 2006 in Germany, where he scored a goal in the third-place play-off match against Germany. He has scored 26 goals in 60 caps for Portugal . He is one of the top goalscorers for the Portugal national football team . Now, after the international retirement of Pauleta, Nuno Gomes is expected to become his successor in the Selecção's striker role.

Club

Born in Amarante, in north-west Portugal, he established his reputation with Boavista FC, where he made his debut in the 1994/95 season. Nuno Gomes collected his first silverware as Boavista beat SL Benfica to lift the Portuguese Cup in 1997. He was on target in the final and scored 15 league goals that term - enough to earn a transfer to Benfica.

2000: After three seasons at the Estádio da Luz, during which he scored 60 league goals in 101 appearances, his EURO 2000™ exploits earned him a €17m move to AC Fiorentina. He won the Coppa Italia in his first season, before Fiorentina's financial collapse precipated his return to Benfica.

2003/04: A series of nagging injuries limited Nuno Gomes to 21 matches, of which he completed just 14. However, he grew in strength and confidence as the season progressed and was an impressive performer in the Portuguese Cup final victory against FC Porto.

2004-2005: After resolving his injury problems, he scored 7 important goals for Benfica to help the Águias win the Portuguese SuperLiga.

2005-2006: He enjoyed his best season after returning to his home country. Having scored 15 goals in the league (snatching second place in the SuperLiga's goalscorer list) and a superb strike in the Portuguese SuperCup final he became the best striker at the Lisbon club since the days of Eusébio.

2006-2007: Much is expected of Nuno Gomes this season, who faces tough competition for a starting place in Benfica's attack, in the likes of newly-signed Mexican ace Francisco Fonseca, Fabrizio Miccoli, and injury-prone Pedro Mantorras.He has scored 3 goals in UEFA Champions League this season.

Titles earned

Note on name

Unlike other Portuguese players, such as Ricardo Carvalho or Nuno Valente, Nuno Gomes' name is essentially a nickname, rather than a first name and a surname and is always given in full - he is never simply 'Gomes'.

Personal life

He divorced Ismeria and they have daughter Laura. He remarried in July, 2006.

Euro 2000

At Euro 2000 Nuno Gomes was his prolific self when he scored the game winner against England, Portugal where down two to nothing when Luis Figo struck a long shot past David Seaman, then João Pinto headed in a second then Nuno Gomes out of nowhere at an angle scored a furious shot giving Portugal the 3-2 win versus England, Portugal made it all the way to the Semi-finals. Nuno Gomes scored 4 goals in the Competition and made the prestigious all-star team. He was described an "explosive striker" who can brings goals for the teams.

External links

Portugal squad – 2002 FIFA World Cup
Portugal
Portugal squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup fourth place
Portugal
S.L. Benfica – current squad
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